Snake Safety Around The Home

Snakes are a common component of backyard fauna, especially here in Brisbane. With both venomous and non-venomous species sharing our environment it makes sense to understand these cryptic visitors as well as take precautions around the home to reduce the likelihood of a negative encounter. Here a few key points

Keep your yard tidy and maintained

An untidy and unmaintained back or front yard in a suburban environment is a calling card for snakes. The main issue we see as snake catchers is snakes occupying refugial sites such as stored timber and building materials, compost mounds, piles of vegetation and unmaintained gardens. Unkept bird aviaries are a common problem as are bird feeders where spilt seed is not removed from around the feeder. These attract rodents and subsequently become hot spots for snakes.

A lot of people associate long grass with the presence of snakes and rightfully so. Long grass provides cover for transient snakes and also the rodents on which they feed. It’s imperative that lawns and any areas of rank grass be well maintained especially in close proximity to homes or areas where people frequent. Suppressing such areas ensures snakes are highly exposed if present and reduces the likelihood of incidental contact.

Ensure children’s toys and play infrastructure is not left lying around. For obvious reasons snakes reclusing under such items could make contact with children looking to play with such items. Store items away after use to eliminate this situation being a concern to your family or pets.

Building materials should always be stored in such a manner as to not create further places for snakes to reside. Bricks and pavers should be placed on top of 20 mm drainage gravel and stacked tightly to avoid gaps between individual bricks. Corrugated iron, timber sheets and lengths should be stored upright against a wall or in a rack rather than placed flat on the ground. Store off-cuts or small items in a closable container such as a large drum.